Royal Rumble (match type)
The Royal Rumble is a match type featured in the entire WWE video game franchise developed by Yuke's. Every franchise game in each of the series feature this special match type that is an annual match that has been in the real WWF/WWE since the late '80s. Rules Two (or four) superstars start in the ring. Every little while a new superstar will join in, until all superstars have entered the match. The only way to be eliminated is if a superstar is thrown over the top rope, with both feet landing on the floor. The last superstar standing will be declared the winner of the Royal Rumble match and will advance to the main event of WrestleMania. In each installment, this match type must take place in the Royal Rumble arena of the real life Royal Rumble match that happened the same year the game was released. History ''Smackdown!'' series ''WWF SmackDown! In this game, the first in the series, erroneously, four superstars start in the ring instead of two like in real life. A simple Irish Whip can be used to send an opponent down to the floor. Every 22 seconds or so, a new superstar will enter the match (this is much faster than the real WWE's usual two minutes), albeit with a loading screen. The camera faces the ramp, just like the other match types. Up to six superstars can be in the match at once; the timer will stop until one of the six superstars is eliminated. Superstars despawn as soon as they are eliminated. ''WWF SmackDown! 2: Know Your Role The match type remains mostly the same in this installment. There is a shorter time until the arrival of a new superstar, however the loading time for their entry takes longer than the first game. ''WWF SmackDown! Just Bring It'' In this installment, the time until a new superstar enters the match goes back to the same amount of time as in WWF SmackDown!. For the first time ever, up to eight superstars can be in the ring at once. Four superstars still start the match, incorrectly. Loading times for new superstar entries are permanently removed. ''WWE SmackDown! Shut Your Mouth'' Finally, two superstars start the match instead of the erroneous four in this installment. However, the amount of superstars on-screen has gone back down from eight to six. New superstars enter after about only 15 seconds. Superstars can be knocked onto the apron and dropkicked onto the floor (though Just Bring It may allow this too). ''WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain'' The match type remains mostly the same, but holds the record for the fastest time between new superstars entering the match; after a superstar enters it only takes 10 seconds for the next one. ''Smackdown vs. Raw'' series ''WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw'' Starting with this installment, the Royal Rumble is the only match type where the camera faces the ramp of the arena. Superstars still enter after only a 10 second interval. A new elimination system is added; instead of Irish whipping an opponent out of the ring like in previous installments, they will manage to stay on the apron. The players must mash buttons on their controllers repeatedly in order to eliminate the opponent/stay in the match. This new ring out system prevents eliminations from happening too fast and frequently. Attempts to eliminate a superstar with the button-mashing system can be reversed with a shoulder block counter. Difficulty in eliminating a superstar is based on damage; if they have been in the match for a very long time they are easy to eliminate. ''WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006'' In this game, a new Ring Out meter is added for button-mashing eliminations. Two superstars can attempt to work together to eliminate a lone superstar with this system, sealing their fate. ''WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007'' Superstars enter a match every 17 seconds in this installment to the series. The look and color of the Ring Out meter is changed. ''WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008'' In this game, the match type remains unchanged aside from another new Ring Out meter design. A new superstar enters approximately every 15 seconds. ''WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009'' The match type once again remains unchanged aside from a Ring Out meter redesign. Even the entrance interval of a superstar entering the match remains the same. ''WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2010'' This installment arguably features the biggest number of changes to the Royal Rumble match. This is the first installment to have a 30 second interval in between new competitor entries, and this remains the same until WWE 2K18. The button-mashing system is changed to only one button having to be repeatedly pressed, and after every few seconds it switches to a different button. The Ring Out Meter has been removed, which means the player just has to mash that specific button and hope the other superstar is eliminated. The revamped button-mashing system also works on a superstar stunned on the ropes, and up to three superstars can take part in taking them out of the match. Corner eliminations have been added, facing the front and the back. To eliminate a superstar in the corner, the player must press a specific button on the controller to hoist the other superstar onto the top turnbuckle. If they succeed two more times, the superstar is thrown out. However, if the superstar who is in trouble presses the button before the attacking superstar at least once, they are safe. Bottom rope eliminations have been added. The attacking superstar must hit a small bar in the middle; this is hard to time right if the defending superstar hasn't taken much damage, but if they have taken a lot, the bar to hit is very easy. In addition to the new elimination, if a superstar charges at a superstar stunned on the apron, the defending superstar can reverse the attacking superstar's running attack and cause the attacking superstar to fly over the top rope and fall under the bottom rope to turn the tables. Next, superstars no longer de-spawn immediately after being eliminated; they will react to their elimination in anger (sometimes accompanied by a camera cut) before limping backstage. If there are six superstars and one is eliminated, the eliminated superstar must make it backstage before the entrance interval timer starts again. In addition, for the first time ever, the crowd will now count down the seconds to the next entry. When three competitors are left in a Royal Rumble, a short cutscene will play of the three superstars circling each other, coupled with a Commentary line. A cutscene also plays when only two superstars are left. Finally, Royal Rumble Finishers have been added which can be selected in the Moveset Creations tool. Rope and apron finishers can be assigned, while corner eliminations are always one of two fixed animations and the bottom rope finisher animation also cannot be edited. ''WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2011'' In this installment, the match type additions take a break after the massive update in the previous game. ''WWE'' series ''WWE '12'' For the first time ever, 40-Man Royal Rumbles are added after the match had taken place in the real WWE the same year. The rope and apron elimination mini-games are no longer button-mashing; instead they are changed to a one button prompt mini-game like the corner elimination system, however the rope/apron iterations take longer to do than the corner system. ''WWE '13'' The match type remains unchanged in this installment. ''WWE 2K series'' ''WWE 2K14'' Nothing is changed in this installment aside from the camera angle no longer facing towards the ramp; instead it simply uses the default camera angle. This means entrances can no longer be seen, and thus making the Royal Rumble match no longer the only match type to have the special camera angle. ''WWE 2K15'' The match type remains unchanged in this installment aside from the Ring Out meter returning for the first time since SmackDown vs. Raw 2009. ''WWE 2K16'' Camera cuts for elimination mini-games are removed. This is the only change. ''WWE 2K17'' Inaccurately, eliminations are now announced by the announcer Lilian Garcia in this installment. As Triple H had won the WWE World Heavyweight Championship in the 2016 Royal Rumble (the most recent at the time), the ability to play a Royal Rumble match as a Title match or even a Double Title match was added. ''WWE 2K18'' This installment is the latest version of the Royal Rumble match type. New eliminations on the ropes, apron and corner have been added, adding a new button-mashing mini-game and Ring Out meter to all three of those areas. Eliminations have gone back to their roots in difficulty, as superstars can be simply Irish whipped and eliminated if damaged enough. The bottom rope elimination has been removed and instead the ropes animation will throw the superstar over the top rope and down to the bottom rope if the animation lasts long enough. Some Royal Rumble finishers were removed, such as the Pedigree Royal Rumble finisher animation and Edge's spear. The Roll Out system was added for the Royal Rumble match as well. Eliminations are now announced by the game's announcer JoJo instead of the old Lilian Garcia announcer. For the first time since Just Bring It, eight superstars can be in the match at once instead of the long-time six. A new addition to the returning Match Creator feature includes entrance timers for the Royal Rumble match. Now, the entrance interval can be changed from 30 seconds (the default), to 60 seconds, 90, 120 (first time ever in a WWE game, the accurate number), 150, and finally 180 seconds. Trivia *If a Light Heavyweight or Cruiserweight superstar performs a Major Reversal on a top rope Superplex in WWE 2K17, the reversal animation will land on the apron during the animation and are able to walk on it. If the superstar has an apron finisher, they can perform it as well to a superstar in the ring. *Triple H has a special Royal Rumble entrance in some of the later SmackDown vs. Raw games, WWE '12, and WWE '13. Category:Match Types Category:Match Types featured in all WWE Games Category:WWF SmackDown! Match Types Category:WWF SmackDown! 2: Know Your Role Match Types Category:WWF SmackDown! Just Bring It Match Types Category:WWE SmackDown! Shut Your Mouth Match Types Category:WWE SmackDown! 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